1. Technical Field
The invention relates to leather working machinery, and more particularly to a leather working tool and a method for cutting a leather hide section into a leather strip.
2. Background
The art and craft of leatherwork, particularly leather braiding often require that leather strips be cut from larger animal hide sections, and that these strips be sized consistently, accurately and with repeatability for width and thickness and that the strips, on occasion be beveled removing corners to achieve a more finished appearance. The prior art discloses a variety of devices for working with leather and other durable fabric and sheet materials. The prior art includes both devices designed for performing both singular and multiple functions, for example splitting, cutting strips or laces and beveling. One device that performs a singular function is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,098 to Alexander. This Leather Yarn Producing Machine produces a strand of leather yarn from a leather disc. A cutting wheel is positioned just above the turntable and is rotatably driven on an axis lying generally radially with respect to the turntable. A frame above the turntable supports the cutting wheel and provides for advancement of the cutting wheel radially inwardly as the cutting of leather yarn from the peripheral edge of the leather disc progresses. The speeds of rotation of the turntable and of advancement of the cutter may be increased as the cutting operation moves toward the center of the turntable so that the linear speed of production of the leather yarn is held more or less constant. U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,713 Barta, et al discloses a leather yarn cutting device that includes an upper work surface which supports a circular section of a hide. The hide section is rotated so that the periphery of the leather disc is moved past a cutting blade. The blade cuts the strand from an outer peripheral edge of the leather disc. Each of the above devices are automated in the sense that the hide sections are rotated by a motorized means past a stationary blade.
Several devices are currently available that provide multiple functions. One such device is sold as The Hacking Leather & Rawhide String Cutter, as seen at http://www.hackingcutter.com and which is available at 4064 Aquarius Circle, Salt Lake City, Utah 84118. This device enables the cutting of a hide section to a selected width, cutting of a strip to a selected thickness and cutting of a strip of material to include a beveled edge. A cutter/beveler leather working tool is sold by Hought Fine Art & Leather, P.O. Box 2115, McKinleyville, Calif. 95519 and may be used to cut strips from a hide section and to bevel a strip.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a leather working tool and a method for cutting a leather hide section into a leather strip which permits initiating the cutting process at or near the center of a leather hide section, working towards the outer edge of the hide section. Additional advantage may be found in providing a leather working tool that combines the capability for cutting a leather hide section into a leather strip starting at or near the center of a leather hide section and working towards the outer edge of the hide section, with the capability to perform beveling and skiving or cutting a strip to a desired thickness. Additionally, advantage may be found in providing a leather working tool that combines the above capabilities with a feature that allows the device to be set up for working in either a right or left handed position.